endurance

I do not have a BOB per se, more of a GHB, and its contents are highly unusual due to my job. If I for some reason had to ditch my car, couldn't get a coworker to pick me up, and had to set out on foot there are several items of a sensitive nature that I would have to take with me. So, I would be carrying:

In a small backpack suspended on the drag bag:3 MREs, an assortment of granola and power bars, a couple bottles of water, small guage wire, 2 chem lights, a spare pair of socks, compass, hatchet, trauma kit, first aid kit, at least 100ft of 550 cord, Mora companion knife, 12 aa batteries, 2 123A batteries, a couple chem lights, 1 lime fuel 20,000mah battery pack, my buck nighthawk knife i've had sincebi was in the army,a head lamp, and I'm sure there are some odds and ends I left out, plus a ghillie suit hanging underneath.

That's just the stuff that is going to be in my vehicle anyway, and do not want to leave behind. The stuff I added for GHB purposes is a katydyn hiker water filter pump, a pill bottle of strike anywhere matches, pill bottle of Vaseline cotton balls, bag of trail mix and a couple cans of Vienna sausages.

I would also toss in both my vhf and 800mhz portable radios, and headset. I would ditch the duty belt but take the oc spray, taser, and 2pr handcuffs. I haven't worked out a good way of taking the heavy entry vest, but would hate to leave it and it's too big and heavy to wear more than a few hundred yards (it will supposedly stop a 300 win mag point blank but I'm not willing to test that), and a concealable vest. I also carry a case of bottled water and would stuff as many as would fit in the empty spaces. I have clothes in the trunk to change into if possible.

A lot of this will depend on the situation, and the distance I need to go, since at any given time I could be anywhere in just over 500 square miles, and leaving this car is a last ditch desperate act.

I've opted not to include firearms in my 72hr. GBH BOB. I will in all likelyhood be alone. This is not a long term rig; two or three nights and two or three days. I can't afford to be in a gun battle nor do I have the skills to prevail against a group of armed thugs. One bullet and I'm essentially screwed. Avoidance of conflict is my strategy. Getting home is my goal. I want to travel fast and get to my place of refuge before it gets to the point where people start to prey on one another. I figure there will be a couple of day window before it all goes to hell (depending on the nature and severity of the event). Even when a town is destroyed by flood, fire, or weather, I have yet to see people killing strangers over a can of beans (yes, Katrina was a close call). I have firepower at home and in my vehicle. If I have to leave one to get to the safety of the other, I will have defensive gear available. On the road I don't want to appear as a "super trooper" with a big bullseye on my back. Also, there may still be some semblance of order in the form of police or National Guard checkpoints. They may not be too welcoming to a heavily armed and armored "civilian" who looks like he's ready for a fight. I want to get a smile and a wave through under such a circumstance. In my mind, the best BOB is a "Hello Kitty" or "My little Pony" book bag. If you have to carry a weapon, put the Glock and spare mags in a "Scobby Doo" lunchbox.

So here is my pack list. It changes every week I swear but here it is. if you have any questions about what something is or why I carry it please ask! I'm always looking for good suggestions too, so please leave any ideas you have for me. (edit) Not included in this bag are the things I carry on me or in my truck. this is what is in the bag at all times.

With water in it, 53lbs. I also figure in 10lbs for rifle, pistol and ammo. 7lbs of miscellaneous. That brings the grand total to about 70lbs. I already know what yall are going to yell at your computer screens. TOO HEAVY. I know, I know. I thought the same thing and have time and time again changed gear and leaned it out. What I learned in the end was instead of making my pack/gear lighter, I needed to make my self stronger/harder. So that's what I did and what im still working on. I placed a 25lb weight into my pack and me and my dog go for at least 3 walks a week. What I have learned is I can keep up a 20min/mile pace for about 10 miles. At about the 10 mile mark, my pace slows down. That's over fairly flat terrain, though. In the foot hills its more like 30min/mile. The wife and I are good for about 20 miles with normal breaks until we are looking for a place to camp. My path from couch potato to where I am now has led me through a divorce, second marriage, 3 jobs and weight loss totaling about 80lbs. but that's another post all together.

Heavy vs light is only an issue if you don't know what your intentions are. if I'm "Road Marching" which we did many times in the army, hauling 60lbs of bag, 20 lbs of gear AND an M60 with a 16 slung over your ruck. I've done 21 miles that way. (the last 4 miles with both the spare barrel AND the tripod after my 2 assistant gunners dropped out). Is it fun? Hell no, Is it doable, Yep, is it something I'd want to do under fire? F^%$ no. If my goal is to just get from point A to point B and point B DOES NOT contain any gear, then it's ok to run heavy. If I'm going from point A to point B and point B has a good cache, then I'm rolling much lighter. If I'm going from point A to point B and i'm under fire or expected contact, then I'm going light with extra ammo. If I have no idea what is happening and going from point A to point B and I don't know if the cache will be available, I'm going medium to medium heavy. There are just too many variables to say what is too much or what is not enough. The one thing I do know, if I start out too heavy, I can always drop gear as I go. if I start out too light and need something I didn't bring, yeah, that's not good either. I like to roll somewhere in the middle. My current kit is right at about 25 lbs (not including weapon and ammo or cold weather gear). So I have some flexibility.

There is no "Too Heavy" unless it's too heavy for you. I'm also a 6 foot 3, 270 lb guy, I can haul a lot more than someone half my size for example.

Basically what I'm trying to say is, It's on YOU to figure out what your plan is, what the gear needs to do for you, what the situation warrants and other variables like distance, terrain, etc. I don't knock someone for going heavy and I don't knock someone for going light. This is what we are here for to help. You may find ideas from someone who goes light that could help you reduce your weight, and you could find ideas from someone else that may add some weight but be immeasurably worthwhile depending on the situation. There really is no right or wrong. In the end, it's your EDC that will be on you, you may not even have access to your BOB, Get Home Back, Ruck or other kit. If you can get by on whats in your pockets, then anything else you may have with you is just a bonus.

There is no "Too Heavy" unless it's too heavy for you..........There really is no right or wrong. In the end, it's your EDC that will be on you, you may not even have access to your BOB, Get Home Back, Ruck or other kit. If you can get by on whats in your pockets, then anything else you may have with you is just a bonus.

I didn't quote the whole post but I agreed with all of it. I did quote these three sentences because I think its really important for people who are new to this life style to hear. Do what's right for you and your family! I will add that the food element of my pact doubles as an assault pack and I can scale down to only a couple of lbs and haul azz if I have to. Same with my wife's pack. I will add her list next. I'm still going through the lists on this thread but im hoping for some ideas. Either things that we need to add to our packs or ways to lighten them up. I am currently trying to switch about half our food over to freeze dried food to cut some lbs. I would also like some ideas for the packs we have for our two teenage girls. Thanks yall!!

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endurance

It's pretty damn heavy for not having most of what you need and a lot of what you don't, at least for my desires. Here's what I see: all that stuff and only three days food. What is the purpose of this kit? Is it a BOB or an INCH (I'm Never Coming Home) kit? If it's a BOB, it sorely lacks in food with only three MREs and is way overkill with probably over a pound in quarters, dimes and silver, two different water filtration systems, snares, 3 in 1 oil, sharpies, etc. For an INCH kit, there's not enough tools to build long-term shelter (a saw, and axe, a shovel, a pick, etc.).

IMHO, it's a combination kit that perhaps hasn't considered what the most likely scenarios are. Why are you leaving home? What mode of transit are you using? How long will you need to be gone? And, where are you going?

Perhaps answering those questions will lighten your load... or increase/change it. For now, it seems like a lot of stuff that I'm not sure I'd want to carry. I don't care who you are, if you're going cross country, off road/off trail and you're carrying more than 40 pounds, you're begging for an injury. I've walked over 700 miles this year, but four miles cross country yesterday crossing down timber was enough to have me hurting today, and that's with less than 20 pounds of kit.

IMHO, it's a combination kit that perhaps hasn't considered what the most likely scenarios are. Why are you leaving home? What mode of transit are you using? How long will you need to be gone? And, where are you going?

I would add what level of training you have. I disagree with your thinking that the contents don't address most of the needs. I think without knowing my specific answers to your questions, no one can say definitively whether or not any pack will work for its owner. I understand this, which is why I was only hoping to gain general help and give general help about packs. Thank so much for your response! I love seeing everyone's opinion and gaining knowledge.

Well I would have to disagree and agree in a way. I agree that you have to ask and answer certain questions like the ones you mention here.

I would add what level of training you have. I disagree with your thinking that the contents don't address most of the needs. I think without knowing my specific answers to your questions, no one can say definitively whether or not any pack will work for its owner. I understand this, which is why I was only hoping to gain general help and give general help about packs. Thank so much for your response! I love seeing everyone's opinion and gaining knowledge.

Well. . . that's why Endurance was asking the questions. If we knew a few more details, then we could make some educated suggestions.

For example:

Why camouflage? It's easy to replace those items with clothing that is just as, if not more, durable that still provides a modicum of ability to blend in under most circumstances. For example, an OD BDU top with a Brown or khaki BDU bottom will blend into 99% of the environments you need. Plus, won't stick out like a sore thumb if the authorities catch you in a spotlight. Do you really want to be the guy trying to get back into your neighborhood wearing a full set of cammies, toting a rifle and a backpack? Remember, they may see you before you see them. That first impression may make a BIG difference in how you're treated.

Second, you have Three knives, an "all-in-one" screwdriver and a crescent wrench. In most cases, you may be better served with a multifunction tool. You alluded to having a tool kit in the truck. Why not pare some of the weight down?

Third, I see nothing of a flashlight. You have 3 cyalume markers, but these tend not to work very well by themselves. There's no way to turn them on/off and when you use one, that's it. They're difficult to aim to get light on something at any distance. Personally, unless you're using them as a marker for others to find you, I'd do away with the cyalume and just go get an inexpensive AA-Battery-powered mini-Maglite. Find the accessory pack that has a red lens in it and you won't draw attention to yourself when you don't want to.

Fourth, there's no commo gear. This doesn't have to be a full-blown Ham set up. It can be something as simple as a $10 AM/FM battery-powered pocket radio. Add in a spare charger for your cell phone and, if the towers are still working, then you can at least try to get some calls or texts out. The radio is to try and get updates as the situation unfolds.

Fifth, I'd suggest that you consider tightening up your water plan. It looks like you're going to go around, find water holes or streams, etc., and dip your bottle into them and drink from the built-in Filter. Yes, you do have a sawyer filter to back it up. The problem is that these are, apparently, your only water filtration plans. Those little Sawyer filters generally aren't used by people who go either in harm's way or packers who spend a lot of time in the backwoods where a bout of Giardia or Crypto will hang with them for several months. . .after they get back and start taking pills. I'd recommend adding some chlorine tabs or iodine tabs as well as researching expedition-level filters.

Sixth, you've mentioned that you're considering swapping some of your MRE's for freeze-dried foods. One option that works rather well at extending your meal plan, would be to consider adding pasta stars, instant potatoes and freeze-dried parboiled rice to your kit in 1-qt lightweight plastic containers. With the flavoring packets you have, you can make some quick meals that add to your caloric intake with minimal prep time.

Seventh, your "Alarm Kit" sounds a bit like overkill and may end up with you in prison, if a child happens to wander by. There are other options, many of which can't be heard beyond a few hundred feet. I'd suggest getting rid of the rat-trap shotgun booby-trap and adding some small bells. If you're afraid of sleeping through someone sneaking in, spend $20 and buy some magnetic window alarms at Home Depot. Attach a string to the magnet and use a ziptie or 550 cord to tie the body to a tree, when someone trips the wire, a loud, piercing alarm will go off and you'll wake up.

I'll stop there with the equipment suggestions.

Additionally, while it sounds logical to some to say that you need to make yourself stronger so you can carry your gear, I might suggest that experience will show you that about half of it is all you need. Imagine if you can cut your kit's weight down to 40 lbs or even 35. It's pretty damned impressive that you ca do 20 minute miles with a 70-lb. pack on for 10 miles. Three miles per hour is a pretty respectable speed. But how many calories are you burning? How much wear and tear are you incurring? Worse yet, as you indicated, that's over fairly flat terrain. As others have pointed out, if you are forced off-road, then that 70-lb pack is going to prove to be a major burden. What happens if you find yourself having to go through back yards or over fences? Climbing or traversing culverts or ditches?

Even worse. . .what happens if/when you twist an ankle? Trying to hump that pack with a splinted ankle may prove not only inconvenient, but dangerous.

Absolutely should you make yourself stronger, but sheer strength alone may not overcome the problem. Learn the skills and spend some time in the backwoods carrying that pack around with you and I'd bet dollars to donuts that you find quite a few things you don't need.

HOWEVER, all this having been said means absolutely nothing if you can't give us some specifics. I could turn a lot of the things around if this were an INCH bag. I could turn all THAT around if you have a well-stocked bug-out location or were using this as a GHB. Then again, maybe it IS right for a GHB, if you expect to have to walk 3 days to your home.

But, I understand many of the motivations behind OPSEC and being all Secret-Squirrel. It does make it a bit more difficult to make recommendations and easier to rebuff them with a convenient "you don't know my situation."

Professor, thanks so much for your response. I will answer some of what you said if i can. I really liked the way you layed out your examples by numbering them. It made it much easier to look at each example and compare it to my own ideas.

I guess first I will give some more information since we all know you can find out anything on the internet anyways. Yes my truck has an extensive tool kit in it, as well as all my required gear. Since I am on call, i keep with me enough stuff to fill one side of my back seat. I have my SRT gear, consisting of a uniform (not camo), a wet suit, gloves, water boots, rescue swimmer vest, water proof flashlight and a helmet. I have my hazmat gear, consisting of simple gas mask and SCBA, boots, and level A & B suits. My SAR/USAR gear is another uniform (not camo), vest, helmet with light, rechargeable flash light, camel bak, boots, rain gear, searching & marking gear (like paint and chemlights) and a lot of 72hr bag equipment. Our collapse gear is much the same but we were given a set of blue BDU's and steel toe/steel shank boots also. Medical packs are kept at the station in climate controlled areas because of meds and will be brought to us. My SWAT gear was stored in my department vehicle and now is in my garage. Because of my on call status, I am very seldom without my truck. Depending on the situation i will adjust my gear as needed at the truck.

1) camo- i have the other uniforms and clothes if i need them, but for my one change that i keep in my pack i like the camo. If im using the bag to get home, i will mostly be in wooded areas. As far as the authorities go, i figure if they are still out and about, ill be one of them. If my oath gets in the way of that, so many of them will be with me it wont matter. 2) tools- the walking trail i like to use is a family fav. i have 3 times now stopped to fix bicycles for small children and those are the two tools i have needed. i always have my leatherman and like you said i will adjust the tools at my truck before leaving. 3 & 4) i have the same problem with both of these. batteries keep exploding in my truck. The required lights that are in my gear just get replaced by the company every so often. My radios both work and personal have to stay inside and i just grab them every time i leave. Same with the flash lights. I have yet another little bag that i throw that stuff into as i leave, every time. the kids call it my purse.

5) water. i really liked this and im going to look into expedition type filters and i put the tablets on our shopping list. i have to do some research on the bottles but any suggestions would be great. My team picked the little Sawyer because it can be screwed to water bottles which the local governments like to send us, but never enough. 6) Like the batteries, food doesn't last long in our heat. The MRE's are also issued to me so im able to swap them out every 6 or so months. That is not to discount what you said, I am in fact going to look into putting some of your ideas into play. I may move the MRE's to my USAR bag. 7) Not much to say about this other than its a work in progress. I will add that the rat trap is for squirrel hunting not the 12ga trap that your thinking of. We found the rat trap and 12ga not easy to put together, nor "controllable enough" for lack of a better word. Just seems like a good way to blow off a hand. Just not any where else to put it where it doesn't rattle. I have tried using the rat trap to snap a chem light but again not real effective. I do really like the bells idea. Simple but i never thought of it! I am going to put bells on the shopping list as well. Thanks for your input.

Water:2 liter CamelBak, also shared with my hiking pack. A 3 liter one to be dedicated to my BOB is on my list. Coffee filters for pre-filtering Katadyn hiker pro water filter Water purification tablets

ShelterThis is a, "oh crap there's a fire coming" or "oh crap ISIS just blew a dirty bomb" pack, not a "the Russians are here time to head to the mountains pack." I have a wool army blanket and tarp in my truck that normally go with my BOB (yes I've slept with that as a shelter, it was ok.), they just seem more useful in the truck right now. I'll get duplicates as I add to my preps.

Tactical gear:Binoculars Camo net Face paint I'm not a soldier and I don't pretend to be one. If it comes down to it I'm avoiding a fight, until I take care of my firearms and training side of my preps.

It's store bought jerky, Old Trapper brand. I haven't had it in there long enough to tell yet, but the expiration date is 2017! I just keep it stored in the oroginal packaging. My BOB is in a cool dry place. How long does it normally last for you? Rotating it won't be an issue for me, it is jerky we're talking about

Some brands to better than others, and much of it has to do with the packaging. Some use pretty lame bags that get pinholes easily while others use really tough stuff that stays sealed even banging around a bag.

I haven't weighed my kit lately, but i know it is too heavy--15 lbs just in water and I wish I could get the whole thing down to around 15 lbs.

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endurance

Just a personal preference thing, the inline Sawyer filters on the Camelbaks rock. You can just dip into a stream, fill and drink. In camp you can use gravity by hanging the hydration part in a tree. It's not fast, but it's faster than you might think.

Good coverage of personal needs ,but like most,this BOB does not appear to cover DOCUMENTS like medical history ...if it is truly a 'get out NOW' bag ...it should contain the photos and documents to keep,or rebuild your life...at least a digital copy if you have a BOL that original documents are secure in. Just my personal thoughts...I like ,and use ,a good headlight (I own several).

hmmm.....you make a good point, but there is something that I cannot understand from you.This article was never meant to include all categories of bugout gear, just to pick up some details 0withing a category) people often miss. So do you make your point in the spirit of the former or the latter?

regardless, I have already started amassing the "details" for part 2 and i will include something on this.question is. is there some tidbit that will make a difference other than carrying a dosier, your backup HDD and a thumbdrive?Something like having your important copies resting in a private file repository or an unused e-mail account, or making an online survival library?

hmm.. that reminds me. I should already have uploaded my emergency radio thumbdrive contents in my mediafire account.

Your suggestions are indeed great..My BOB includes my document package,toilet paper,fire starter kit,tarp for shelter/ground cover, gloves,spare sox,rain gear,windbreaker,coat in winter,water filter and 2 water bottles.SOS lifeboat rations,First aide kit, flashlight and a 100 foot of paracord,plus some duct tape...that is all,and even this light weight kit is HEAVY and the plan is that it rides in the car till I must carry it.

Note that I have a place to go within 10 mile and it is well stocked and secure, I don't need ,or want to carry my whole world on my back.I would rather call it a MINIMAL SUPPORT KIT than a BOB.

I concur that mobility is highly underrated and the moleskin/tape is an excellent jumping off point for the discussion. For me the bigger challenge is seasons and goals and it's a long and challenging debate. Where I live summertime can mean five months of fast travel with temperatures rarely dropping below 0c at night, and frequently getting between 15-30c. The last thing I want during that time of year is big, heavy leather boots on the trail. My preference is for trail running shoes which allow me to comfortably carry a 20-25 pound pack as much as 26 miles a day (at peak fitness). To do so requires rotating three to four pairs of good quality mid-weight wool socks every day, washing them as I hike at every opportunity. I'm also a huge fan of Dirty Girl Gaiters on the trail. They keep sticks and stones out of your shoes, which means less time fussing with your feet and more time moving (fast).

On the other side of the coin, for our seven months of winter we are likely to see low temperatures down to -25c for at least a handful of days, but still have days where high temperatures might reach 13c several times every month. With mobility in mind, Sorels just aren't going to cut it, so I've fallen in love with the perfect compromise for my environment; an insulated hunting boot. My current pair are thinsulate 1000 insulated and have been comfortable down to -23c. A double layer sock system is essential for comfort and warmth, generally a thin synthetic liner sock and heavy wool-blend outer sock work well together. I always carry a spare pair, but rarely change out mid-day. A good day under ideal conditions might allow 10 miles of winter travel with such kit, since I'm also going to be burdened with more clothing, a heavier pack full of winter kit and higher calorie demands to manage the cold weather.

Canterbury's assessment of fire cannot be understated. I've failed to get fires going when it is cold and wet. There is so much working against you when it's damp that even with all the kit in the world it can sometimes feel like an exercise in futility. I've resorted to using 2.5cm sections of toilet paper tubes filled with cotton balls or lint and impregnated with wax, and still failed when everything was soaked from a week of steady rain. The energy input into a fuel to drive out the moisture under such conditions make one consider gasoline or napalm as reasonable items to carry.

Regarding cordage, I agree. The more I ultralight backpack the more I find lighter cordage makes more sense. In the last few years I've discovered a new product that is a spool of 125' of 1/16" diameter reflectivecord rated at 85 pounds breaking strength. Considering it can serve as a means of flagging trails, prevent tripping hazards at night and allows easily carrying many times what you could carry in 550 cord, I'm completely sold. True, it's too thin to replace boot laces or pack straps, but it has definitely earned a place in my BOB.

I'm a camelbak guy so carrying a 3l container is the norm. Lately I've been eyeing the Vargo Bot for a potential cooking container that also doubles as a water carrier. It's not a cheap solution, but it does fill two needs with one item and makes a great container for a lot of your kit items when not in use. That said, it lacks a cup handle, so I'd likely end up making a slide-on leather handle (similar to what is available for Mason jars).

For food, I'm a fan of no-prep food for the move, but chicken boullion cubes are my go-to for colder weather. A great way to get salt and warm liquid into the body. To me, it's more satisfying than coffee or tea and gives you the illusion of fullness despite containing practically zero calories. Carrying a dozen cubes will cost you a couple ounces.

I despise ponchos as a one items solves many needs solution. They suck in the wind and as you pointed out, having a shelter that's also your garment makes no sense in the real world. My lightweight solution has become a 4oz sil-nylon wind jacket during the summer. I carry the disposable ponchos, but I carry them to give away to others who aren't prepared, not for myself. You could make a shelter with them, but I carry a two person space blanket just for emergency sheltering. In a lean-to configuration with a long fire with reflective rocks at the opening you have a great expedient shelter at minimal weight.

For my hiking kit, I consider that adequate. For my BOB I like a sil-nylon 8x10' tarp for shelter and if I lived somewhere buggy, I'd consider both a mosquito net and head net for protection and sanity. Deet is a must in every pack as both bug spray and fire starter.

Other items worth considering include water filtration. Boiling consumes too much time and an SP101 in-Line filter lets you purify your water on the move, which means less stopped time and allowing your to gather water as you hike so you can carry less. A broad brimmed hat to protect you from the sun and keep the rain off of you is another basic essential folks might not think about. Put a small light like a fenix LD01 or Olight e3s on the brim and you have a headlamp that works on a single AAA battery and weighs about an ounce. Consider some of the molle light carrying options out there that can turn your pack straps into another source of light without having to look at buying a separate anglehead light. Gloves are another invaluable item. Insulated work gloves can fill two roles during the winter, although I prefer mittens when it's truly cold and I don't need the dexterity of gloves. Cargo pants are something I wouldn't want to live without, either. A great way to have everything you need, from snacks to fire starting and signalling available at all times.

Of course in the end, skills become a vital part of not needing the kitchen sink in your pack. The more you play in the field the more you learn to improvise and make the best of what you have.

hmmmm nice points made...i have some thigns toadd on yours and soem questions

On mobility/shoesI am amiss on this. I think goretex boots are stupid in the mediterranean summer, I have resorted to buy a pair of ventilated trail shoes.(and i was stupid to miss a bargain on ventilated boots). Do not know about the rest of the people but I ma uneasy wearign anything lower than a low cut boot. Has a bad ankle sprain when young 9the one the basketballers often do), and it easy for me to fall.now these ventelated shoes are ajoy in the summertime, you can flink yuor toes and feel the air coming in, but they are hell when raining.

Endurance, i it true what i ehard? that a kilo on your feet equals 25 kilos (pounds?) on your back?

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Canterbury's assessment of fire cannot be understated. I've failed to get fires going when it is cold and wet. There is so much working against you when it's damp that even with all the kit in the world it can sometimes feel like an exercise in futility. I've resorted to using 2.5cm sections of toilet paper tubes filled with cotton balls or lint and impregnated with wax, and still failed when everything was soaked from a week of steady rain. The energy input into a fuel to drive out the moisture under such conditions make one consider gasoline or napalm as reasonable items to carry.

The solution in the conditions you describe is ONE! Flares.You would see them in my kit but their ownership is illegal here.

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Regarding cordage, I agree. The more I ultralight backpack the more I find lighter cordage makes more sense. In the last few years I've discovered a new product that is a spool of 125' of 1/16" diameter reflectivecord rated at 85 pounds breaking strength. Considering it can serve as a means of flagging trails, prevent tripping hazards at night and allows easily carrying many times what you could carry in 550 cord, I'm completely sold. True, it's too thin to replace boot laces or pack straps, but it has definitely earned a place in my BOB.

time for us to push the "high-low Mix" idea

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Lately I've been eyeing the Vargo Bot for a potential cooking container that also doubles as a water carrier. It's not a cheap solution, but it does fill two needs with one item and makes a great container for a lot of your kit items when not in use. That said, it lacks a cup handle, so I'd likely end up making a slide-on leather handle (similar to what is available for Mason jars).

interesting find.it is close to what i am searching, a 0.75-1lit stainless cup with handle. Cooking in a GSI 0.5lit cup is marginal.

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For food, I'm a fan of no-prep food for the move, but chicken boullion cubes are my go-to for colder weather. A great way to get salt and warm liquid into the body. To me, it's more satisfying than coffee or tea and gives you the illusion of fullness despite containing practically zero calories. Carrying a dozen cubes will cost you a couple ounces.

Interestingly when I was reseaching teh article i found a recipe for hypontremia using boullion cubes. (IIRC was 4 cubes in a liter of water?)

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I despise ponchos as a one items solves many needs solution. They suck in the wind and as you pointed out, having a shelter that's also your garment makes no sense in the real world. My lightweight solution has become a 4oz sil-nylon wind jacket during the summer. I carry the disposable ponchos, but I carry them to give away to others who aren't prepared, not for myself. You could make a shelter with them, but I carry a two person space blanket just for emergency sheltering. In a lean-to configuration with a long fire with reflective rocks at the opening you have a great expedient shelter at minimal weight.

this seems like an issue that can never be resolved.I think that hiking in raingear during the summer is a killer within an hour. Even the poncho can be marginal and warm.hat I have with my poncho -but did not had the chance to try yet- is a length of thin stretch cord. The idea is to puting it around your waist, over the poncho

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Consider some of the molle light carrying options out there that can turn your pack straps into another source of light without having to look at buying a separate anglehead light.

Interestign...have yuo got an example. ATM mement i can think only of the Zebralight headamps with the add on clip.I tend to shy away from the idea cos i feel the light will rrely be centered on one's line of movement. (never used the anglehead during my military service) I would like to hear on your's or anyone's experience.

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Cargo pants are something I wouldn't want to live without,

On the contrary i cannot STAND them and having things that low on the pant banging around. I even had the a specific jeans pocket shorten....

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Of course in the end, skills become a vital part of not needing the kitchen sink in your pack. The more you play in the field the more you learn to improvise and make the best of what you have.

yep.....and that was a reason for that article. To drive the point that you do not need More gear, yuo need smarter selectiosn of gear.

So....untill now we have the following addition for part 2 of the article- document pack (courtesy of Carl)- broad brimmed hat (enurance)- gloves (enurance)- something that i remembered to add but forgot to write it down

endurance

hmmmm nice points made...i have some thigns toadd on yours and soem questions

On mobility/shoesI am amiss on this. I think goretex boots are stupid in the mediterranean summer, I have resorted to buy a pair of ventilated trail shoes.(and i was stupid to miss a bargain on ventilated boots). Do not know about the rest of the people but I ma uneasy wearign anything lower than a low cut boot. Has a bad ankle sprain when young 9the one the basketballers often do), and it easy for me to fall.now these ventelated shoes are ajoy in the summertime, you can flink yuor toes and feel the air coming in, but they are hell when raining.

This is my current running/hiking shoe. I'll carry up to 10kg with it. Anything more than 15kg and you need more stability from a shoe than a running shoe can provide, IMHO, but I can pack five days of food and everything I need for the trip in under 9kg. As for rain, show me a shoe that will keep your feet dry in four hours of pouring rain and I'll show you a blister factory. If it's that good at keeping water out, it's that good at keeping water in and feet sweat a lot. I'd rather have something that gets wet quick but dries just as quickly when it finally stops raining. I roll my ankles all the time, but haven't actually sprained one in years (touchwood). The less you support them the stronger and more resilient they get.

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Endurance, i it true what i ehard? that a kilo on your feet equals 25 kilos (pounds?) on your back?

Sounds a little exaggerated to me, but I know the heavier the boot, the less distance I can comfortably travel. I've never covered more than 14 miles in a day with a full leather hiking boot, but I've covered 26.5 miles in a day with a full pack in running shoes.

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The solution in the conditions you describe is ONE! Flares.You would see them in my kit but their ownership is illegal here.

That's a heavy solution. Wax is the most energy-dense fuel you can easily acquire, so it's my winter and wet weather go-to.

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interesting find. (regarding the Vargo Bot)it is close to what i am searching, a 0.75-1lit stainless cup with handle. Cooking in a GSI 0.5lit cup is marginal.Interestingly when I was reseaching teh article i found a recipe for hypontremia using boullion cubes. (IIRC was 4 cubes in a liter of water?)

Here is one of the best selections of options I've seen for the class of containers. Great store and I love doing business with them. I don't know what international shipping will do to the prices, but it's a good place to generate ideas. They carry a lot of unique products and a lot of times their prices are lower than Amazon (although with shipping that might not be the case).

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I think that hiking in raingear during the summer is a killer within an hour. Even the poncho can be marginal and warm.hat I have with my poncho -but did not had the chance to try yet- is a length of thin stretch cord. The idea is to puting it around your waist, over the poncho

Regardless of what rain gear you have, if you're moving and it's raining and you're wearing waterproof clothing, you're going to sweat and get wet. The only solution for me is to wear wool and synthetics that still keep you warm when they're wet. I own a lot of Ibex merino wool stuff because of this issue, but that's because sometimes I like foul weather hikes.

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Interestign...have yuo got an example. ATM mement i can think only of the Zebralight headamps with the add on clip.I tend to shy away from the idea cos i feel the light will rrely be centered on one's line of movement. (never used the anglehead during my military service) I would like to hear on your's or anyone's experience.

There's a lot of options. Here's a few that I've found, but if you search amazon and e-bay, there's always new options coming on the market.

And finally, and kind of unrelated:Black MOLLE System Strobe LED Light Multi-colorThis is actually something I searched high and low for after seeing a review in a tech magazine and they were for sale for $27 each. This ebay has six for $8.11. I haven't received them yet and I'm hoping they're as good as the review I read. The review touted something like 300 hours on the battery when in strobe mode. For identifying members of your group or keeping track of children it seems like a great idea for the money, but I can't say anything for the quality of the product until I have them to play with for a few months.

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On the contrary i cannot STAND them and having things that low on the pant banging around. I even had the a specific jeans pocket shorten....yep.....and that was a reason for that article. To drive the point that you do not need More gear, yuo need smarter selectiosn of gear.

There certainly is a point of overloading them and having them bounce annoyingly, but for keeping a few snacks, a small camera, and a notebook, I love them. I wouldn't carry anything heavy or dense like a multitool or 18650 flashlight. To each their own. Kit is always personal and the only way you ever know what will really work for you is to get out there and use it.

BCP Pack of 6pcs Black Color TW MOLLE Web Dominators with Elastic string (also available on ebay) I haven't tried these and don't know how they'd work, but they look interesting.

hey! i have those! but never occured me to rig a flashlight with them

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Wax is the most energy-dense fuel you can easily acquire, so it's my winter and wet weather go-to.

And i was about to ask you on this...But does wax releases its energy fast enought (of course it can be tinkered to byt increasing he burning surface). And otehr "violent" fuels except gasoline?

als, taken from your previous post

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but I carry a two person space blanket just for emergency sheltering. In a lean-to configuration with a long fire with reflective rocks at the opening you have a great expedient shelter at minimal weight.

wouldn't it be better if there was a sturdier/thicker space blanket at rolls to cut as much as you want....

There is a great product available from construction materials stores, such as Home Depot, Menards, Lowes. etc. It provides a high insulation value, compact size (when tightly rolled) and lightweight ground sheet. I don't have the product name exactly at the moment, but it consists of a roll of insulating material made up of 1/4 inch thick "bubble wrap" sandwiched between two layers of what I assume is a Mylar film, similar to space blanket material. It is available in different widths and lengths. The "bubble wrap" seems to keep the Mylar foil from tearing and the Mylar keeps the bubble wrap from "popping". As a lightweight insulating Ground sheet, it works great. Its totally waterproof and heat reflective. If I was in a desert environment I would think this stuff could also keep you from frying, if used as an overhead shelter. I have seen YouTube videos of making an expedient sleeping bag out of this stuff with duct tape. I might also experiment with making a vest out of it to add warmth to a winter coat in emergencies. I guess you could also line the legs of pants if you were caught in the cold with only jeans (think stalled car in winter). I think I'll throw a small roll in the trunk. In an emergency, I might have the right clothing, but someone else might not.